Mabel's Ham Pate and Degustabox

 We often entertain in the summer months, barbequing being our favourite choice of activities to enjoy when friends are over.   They are casual and fun affairs and there is nothing like being out of doors to really whet the appetites!  This recipe here today is for a delicious appetizer that you can enjoy with a cold drink while the boys are slaving over the hot grill.  It's a recipe I got from my good friend Mabel many years ago, for a simple ham pate which is just perfect to be served with the lovely Melba Thins Multigrain which came in June's Degusta box!

To those not in the know,if you sign up for it,  once a month, every month . . . .  Degustabox will deliver to your home 9 to 14 new, special or innovative food products for you to try in the comfort of your own home via a subscription service.  A monthly subscription costs £9.99 and there is a delivery fee of £3, for a total of £12.99, and what you receive can be tailored to the types of things that you like and would use.   To me it's a bit like a foodie Christmas every month of the year!  I really love them!  

And with that I will get on with the business of telling you all about the June box!  I'll show you the recipe at the end of the post.

 

COCONOM  (1 X £3.25)

 Coconom Coconut sugar is a delicious and completely natural alternative to sugar made from ONE ingredient; 100% Coconut blossom Sap. (from the incredible coconut tree!) Always pure & unrefined, Coconom Coconut sugar is just as nature intended with nothing artifical added and therefore/is the reason it retains nutritional goodness of the coconut blossoms, making it more nutritious than processed sugars and sweeteners! With it's naturally sweet "Caramel" taste (NOT of coconut!) you can use our Coconut sugar as a perfect spoon for spoon replacement to normal sugar, in any dish or recipe. From pancakes to porridge, smoothies to coffee, crumbles to cake, just pop Coconom in your measuring spoon or cup and away you go. Best of all, with a reportedly lower glycemic index than refined sugars, it will keep you going for longer too. Winner! Coconom Coconut Sugar is 100% natural, Organic Certified and Vegan Approved therefore suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians as well as those on a low sugar or paleo diet, is Gluten Free, Gmo Free, Dairy Free & Preservative Free. What's more, Coconom is ethically sourced from independant farmers in rural Indonesia, which helps to provide families a higher standard of living. Now you can truly enjoy the sweeter things in life with nature's perfect alternative to refined sugar. Try it for yourself. You may never look back!

We've been enjoying this on our oatmeal this month.  Yummo!



ZEO (2 X £1.29)

At Zeo, We make a range of lightly carbonated soft drinks. Inside each bottle is 98% spring water blended with naturally extracted fruits and botanicals. Even our bright, beautiful colours are brought to you entirely by nature. We add a tiny amount of South American Stevia and just a touch of beet and cane sugar for sweetness. Our four bright, crisp and refreshing flavours are carefully crafted in small batches and are under 30 calories for a 275ml bottle.

I am no stranger to Zeo drinks, having been sent them before.  Chilled and poured over ice, very refreshing!




MAUI & SONS COCONUT WATER  (1 x 520ML @£2.99)

Maui & Sons 100% pure coconut water is a light refreshing alternative to today's sugar filled sports drinks. Our coconut water has nutrients and antioxidants which boost energy and stamina, with electrolytes to help rehydrate your body. 250ml cans available at Primark and select independant food stores, cafes and restaurants.



KALLO  1 X£70p

At Kallø, simple, cleaner eating is central to its food philosophy, because life should be about what you can have, and not what you can’t, and eating the Kallø way is about loving food and enjoying a nutritious, balanced diet. Encapsulating Kallø's lovefood- love-life ethos is its range of wholegrain rice and corn cakes. Delicious and crunchy, these bountiful cereal cakes are made using the finest natural ingredients, are low in fat and calories – and gluten free. Enjoy the whole Kallø range plain or seasoned, seeded, savoury or sweet.. Rice and corn cakes make a tasty light base for your favourite savoury toppings: meats, fish and cheeses, fruits, dips and chutneys – enjoy them for lunch, brunch breakfast and snack attacks. But don't be shy: think big, be creative and load your cakes without limit. With Kallø’s range of wholegrain low fat rice and corn cakes you can have your cake and eat it. For more inspiration, visit kallo.com and pick up your pack from the savoury biscuit aisle  

KALLO 1 X £1.69


I've long been a fan of their chocolate covered rice cakes, preferring these over any others.  The addition of caramel bits makes them even more moreish!



LOVE CHIN CHIN (1 X £1.00)

"Chin Chin" is a famous sweet snack popular in West Africa. Love Chin Chin - developed from a family recipe and manufactured in the UK - is the West African sweet snack sensation that ‘crunches like a biscuit, tastes like a cake!’ Made from 100% natural ingredients it’s the tastiest snack you may never have tried. A crunchy, tasty bite that’s a real treat at any time of the day and perfect for sharing. Available in Vanilla, Cinnamon, Lemon or Chilli flavours to tempt and suitable for Vegetarians and dairy free.

I received the cinnamon ones and they were really tasty!  Addictive too!

 

BRIOCHE PASQUIER PITCH CHOCOLATE CHIP  (1 X £1.70)

Now available in a pack of four in Tesco Express stores, a delicious choc chip brioche roll that is individually wrapped for you to enjoy anytime of the day, perfect for lunch boxes and summer picnics.

Yum!!



BRIOCHE PASQUIER CHOCOLATE (1 X £1.70)

This brioche has a delicious chocolate flavour filling with a hint of hazelnut that makes a tasty sweet treat. PITCH is free from artificial colours, preservatives and hydrogenated fats. Take advantage of our new promotion and try a new sport for free! See the in-pack card for more details.

Double Yum!

We've been enjoying both of these in the evening with a hot cup of milk prior to going to bed.



VIBE Vitamin and Collagen Jelly Snacks (1 X £1.20)

Vitamin and Collagen jelly snacks, a new way to eat healthy! These fun, functional foods are packed with vitamins and collagen beautifying ingredients. Our Jelly snacks are made from a blend of Real Fruit Juice Concentrates, Vitamins and Marine Collagen and promote benefits like improved immunity, skin health and an energy boost, Marine collagen has antioxidant properties that have been used in drinks, supplements and skin-care products to prevent or even repair the damage caused by environmental factors such as UV rays and low humidity, as well as damage associated with the ageing process. For more info and special offers join us on twitter @vitvibe

 

ENHANCE (1 X £2.49)

Give water some WOW! This new pocket sized, water enhancer adds a natural fruity taste to water without any nasty colours or flavours. Made from real fruit juice and with only 1 calorie per drink it’s the perfect handbag essential to keep hydrated on the go. And at only 8p a drink Enhance is great value for money too! Available at ASDA, Ocado.

I've been carrying this delicious apple and b.lack currant one around in my handbag as we go about our business this month.   It's been very convenient and it tastes nice.



MELBA Thins, Multigrain (1 X £1.39)

New: Melba Thins Multigrain are now also available at Tesco. Garnish with a dash of paté, cheese or salmon, topped with cucumber, avocado or tomato. Or whatever else you fancy. The perfect accompaniment to drinks with friends, a cool refreshing beer or a nice glass of wine.

 

And of course the product I chose to highlight with a recipe this month was the Multigrain Melba Thins.   These are the perfect crisp base for this delicious Ham Pate!



I have been making this tasty Pate since the early 1980's, having been given the recipe from my good friend Mabel.  Mabel is a fabulous cook and all of the recipes which she shared with me during those years in which we were next door neighbors and fast friends have become a most delicious part of the fabric of my family.



I didn't have a food processor way back then, but I do now and it makes really short work of putting this delicious spread together.  You can adjust the coarseness or smoothness of your pate by the time you choose to process it.  Simple.  Delicious.   Food from a friend.   These types of recipes are the most special of all!

 

*Mabel's Ham Pate*

makes about 1 1/4 cups

Printable Recipe 

Delicious served with crisp breads, melba toast or crackers.  A tried and true from an old dear friend of mine, Mabel. 

1 cup of minced ham (150g)

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise (60g)

2 TBS Wocestershire sauce

1 sweet gherkin pickle, finely chopped

2 TBS butter melted 

I like to mince the ham in my mini food processor so that I get it really fine, almost paste.  I add the mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and pickle at the same time, blizing until it is fairly smooth.  If you prefer a chunkier pate, then stop blitzing when you get the consistency you want.   Pack firmly into a serving dish.   Pour the melted butter over top in a thin layer.   Cover and chill overnight.   Serve with your choice of crackers or crisp breads.

Many thanks to Degustabox for sending me this box. I have to say I really look forward to getting my box each month.   There are always lots of things in it to enjoy and new products to try out.  I highly recommend.  You can also tailor the boxes to your own likes and dislikes by filling in your own Taste Profile.  I also have a code which is worth a £3.00 discount when registering.  Simply use the code:  NEHFF

Do check out the Degustabox web page for more information and details.

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